


All Great Men Must Someday Fall

by Chibifukurou



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-20
Updated: 2012-01-20
Packaged: 2017-10-29 20:11:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/323698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibifukurou/pseuds/Chibifukurou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you step off that roof...When you fall...I'm angry, sad, but not surprised.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Great Men Must Someday Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Series 2
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This story was written for personal enjoyment and entertainment purposes.

I'm not a good man, no matter what you think of me Sherlock. You talk about how I think you're a great man, how I don't understand what you really are and think you should be a hero, as though I would put you on a pedestal.

I know better than that. Do you honestly think that you are the first great man I have followed? How arrogant of you.

I am a soldier of the Queen's army. I have followed great men into the depths of hell on Earth. I know that there are no true heroes. No man more worthy to stand in glory, than his comrades. Even the greatest man will eventually fall. That is the truth that haunts my dreams.

Because I know what happens to great men. I know how they fall.

So when you ask. "If you were dying, if you were murdered, in the very last seconds, what would you say?" I lie.

I say, "Please God, let me live." The truth hurts too much. Because the true answer is. "Please God, let me die first. Let me die before I have to watch another great man fall."

You smirk and tell me to show some imagination. I tell you I don't need to imagine. Which is more true than you know.

I continue to follow you into danger. Because I won't let you fall as long as I have a chance to stop it. I am an ordinary man though, I can only hold you up for so long.

#

When you call to tell me that you are a fraud, I know you are lying. I have already told you that I know great men. I know the lengths to which a great man will go to make sure those under their protection do not die.

I had a great man sacrifice his life for my sake once. In order to make sure that I got out of Afghanistan alive.

I know the sound of a man pushed beyond his means. You forget that I'm older than you, and wiser. For all I'm an idiot.

When you step off that roof...When you fall...I'm angry, sad, but not surprised.

#

Mrs. Hudson and I meet at your grave.

We swap stories about you, your experiments, your naiveté, even your stupid skull. I considered burying it with you, but I can't bring myself to do it in the end. He's waiting for me back at 221B Baker Street. You'd be telling me what an idiot I am if you could see me now. I almost feel like you can, I can feel someone's eyes boring into my back. I don't turn around to check though.

I've been looking over my shoulder, turning to speak with you, every five seconds since you died. I can't keep doing it. Now is as good a time as any to stop. It's not like I'll be upset if I die. I've already failed to accomplish the thing I wanted most, to die before I had to watch you fall.

I'm sorry Sherlock… sorry for not being smart enough to save you. Sorry for lying to you about my greatest wish. Maybe if I'd told you the truth, we would have found a way for both of us to survive.

Maybe…

I have a new wish now, something that I will say when the time comes for me to die. I will beg for a chance to see you again… one last time… so that I can beg for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry Sherlock, for failing to save you, for not dying first, but mostly for never being a great enough man to die for those under my protection. Please forgive me and let me follow you on one last adventure, the final adventure that lies beyond death."

#

Fin


End file.
